Airplane aileron



March 10, 1942., E. slMs- A'IRPLANE AILERON Filed April 2', 19410 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 10, 1942. E. SIMS AIRPLANE AILERON Filed April 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mm.` 10,'1942 UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE."

' 2,275,692 AIRPLANE'AILERON Edward Sims, Zanesville, Ohio Application April 2, 1940, seria1Nu.327,499 l 9 Claims.

This invention is directed to an improvement in airplanes and particularly to a control means for ailerons wherein the ailerons may be simultaneously and similarly operated to serve as brakes during landing or-as elevators during takeofi, or may be independently operated when in flight to control the balance of the airplane.

In airplane operation the ailerons perform an important function and may be utilized as brakes or to assist in take-oil when the airplane is landing or leaving the landing field, and the -ailerons are further largely utilized to assist in maintaining the balance of the airplane while in night, by controlling the aileron of the individual wing as may be required.

Heretofore it has been usual and customary to provide for the independent control of the ailerons, which, while providing'for an independent adjustment while in ilight, requires two separate operations for controlling both the ailerons when landing or initial take-off.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of means whereby through the use ot one of two separate levers the ailerons may be simultaneously or independently operated at will to ensure their proper functions at the particular time, the mechanisms being so correlated that unnecessary duplication and complication is avoided.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view showing the wing portion ofan airplane and the mechanism for controlling the ailerons in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 oi' Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing mechanism for independently controlling one of the ailerons in operative relation and illustrating the fact that the remaining aileron has not been operated;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the ailerons simultaneously operated in response to the actuation of the mechanism for controlling this operation;

Figure 9 is a detail and elevation and partly in section illustrating the connection for one aileron in the simultaneous control mechanism, such detail being duplicated for the other aileron;

Figure 10 is a detail in elevation showing the use of a nap, the position of which is automatiy callyecontrolled by the position of the aileron to avoid eddy currents at the free end of the aileron. In connection with the following description it will be understood that both the independent and f simultaneous control mechanisms are duplicated for each aileron, and that the following description which, for brevity will be limited to one aileron control, is duplicated for the other aileron control, and is to be so considered. The airplane may be, o! course, of any usual or proved construction. involving for the purpose of the present invention, the provision of opposing wings I and 2, having ailerons 3 connected to the rear edges plate 1 is an auxiliary operating plate Il, the latter being supported on the pivot pin 8 and being itself connected by pivot plnfiz to the plate i of the housing. All is clearly shown in Figure 4.

The auxiliary plate I I is connected remote from its connection .with the plate 1 to one end of a beam I3 by a link il, the opposite end oi which beam is connected by a link l5 to one end Vof an fangle lever i6, pivotally supported on the wing at I i with the opposite end of such lever connected by a rod I 8 to the aileron, so that the aileron maybe operated by the movement of the angle lever. The beam i34 is supported `on an auxiliary beam I9 through the medium of a pivot 20 arranged centrally of the beam i3. The auxiliary beam I9 is pivotally supported at 2| to a wing fixture 22. i

An important detail of the .present invention is the provision of means whereby the aileron controlling mechanism just described, and which, as stated, is duplicated for each aileron, may be selectively operated-that is, either aileron swung upwardly without correspondingly moving the other aileron, and to thisrend a construction is provided which in the selected operation of one aileron, will cause the operating plate of the mechanism of that aileront to.. move and operate the auxiliary operating plate ofsuch mechanism,

while at the same time operating plate forv the actuating mechanism ofthe other aileron will beam I3 to operate the bell crank lever` 'through the link I5 and swing the left hand aileron through the rod I8.

- be moved independently 4of its cooperating auxpivot lpin 8 and indicated at 26 has a curvature4 concentric with the pivot pin |2 by which the auxiliary operating plate II is pivoted to the housing plate 5. The opposite end of the channel 25 which is indicated at 21 has a curvature which is concentric with the pivot pin 8. The roller 24, when the operating and auxiliary operating plates are in normal position, i. e., in superimposed relation, rests at the juncture of the partsl 25 and 21 of the guide channel 25, and as in operation the roller moves in the portion 26 of the channel which is concentric to the pivot pin I2 of the auxiliary operating plate II, both the main operating plate 1 and the auxiliary plate I| may be moved. From the normal position, however, only the main operating plate 1 may be moved in the opposite direction, i. e., in the portion 21 of the guide channel 25.

As previously stated, the operating mechanisms described are duplicated for each wing and aileron and the extensions I of both operating plates 1 are connected by a tie rod 28 which is, in turn, connected to a manually operable rod 29 in reach of the pilot and which is so connected as to swing both main operating plates 1 in the same direction in any one operation. L

The auxiliary operating plate H is provided with a stop 30 against which the edge of the main operating plate 1 bears to maintain the operating platesA in normal superimposed relation when in normal position.

The operation of the selective means for the ailerons may be briefly described as follows:

Assuming it is desired to elevate the aileron shown at the left in Figure l, the rod 29 is actuated to move the operating plate 1 of the left hand 'mechanism toward the left of the airplane as one faces forwardly. As the auxiliary operating plate of this mechanism is pivotally mounted on a housing plate 5, and is connectedI at 3 to the end of the main operating plate, this movement of the main operating `plate will swing the upper end of the auxiliary operating platte-II towards the left, as the roller 24 movesin the portion 26 of the guide slot 25, and through the link I4 will move the main IS Themain operating plate 1 of the right hand aileron controllingvmechanism is at .the same time moved in the same direction as the left hand operating plate, but as the roller 25 is now moving in that portion 21 of the guide slot concentric with the pivot 8, the right hand operating plate will be moved without affecting the auxiliary operating l plete freedom to selectithe operation of either aileron at will.

The invention also contemplates means by which both ailerons'may be simultaneously and similarly operated through one mechanism. The end of each auxiliary beam I9 remote from its pivot 2| is connected by a link 3| to an angle lever 32 and pivotally supported in the housing Ilv below the plate 5. The angle levers 32 are connected by links 33 to a single controlling lever 34, which lever 34 can simultaneously move the angle levers 32 in the same direction. As these levers are moved in the same direction, the links3| actuate the free end of the auxiliary beams I9, and as the mainbeams I3 are connected to the auxiliary beams I9 by the pivot .20 and auxiliary beams are connected to the housing by a remote pivot 2|, while at the same time the end of the main beam I3 overlying the pivot 2| of theauxiliary beam is held against movement by the link I4 of the individual aileron operating mechanism, the auxiliary and main beams I9 and I3 will be moved in the described operation of the links 3| to actuate the angle lever I6 and the connected ailerons. Of course, in this operation, bothailerons are simultaneously moved in the same direction and obviously may be moved upwardly o-r downwardly with respect to the wings of the airplane.

Small flaps 35 are pivotally connected to the ends of the ailerons and connected by links 36 forming the parallel motion so that in adjustment of the aileron, or ailerons, the iiaps 35 will be moved to counteract eddy currents and direct a smoother action of the air currents with respect to the ailerons.

It is, of course, understood that as the wings .are ordinarily constructed of double thickness having spaced upper and lower walls, the mechanism described may be obviously concealed between the walls, and it will be further apparent that the various parts may be constructed of light material or any material which has sufficient strength and will avoidadding materially to the weight of the airplane.

By the construction described, it is quite apparent that the pilot may, at will, operate both ailerons simultaneously and similarly in either direction, thus permitting them, when lowered,

to serve as brakes in the landing of the airplane, or, when elevated, to serve in assisting the .relative to the wings, and means for selectively moving either one aileron upwardly and maintaining the other. aileron against movement.

2. Means for operating the ailerons of anl airplane'including mechanism responsive to manualv control for simultaneously operatinglthe ailerons similarly and together in either direction relative to the Wings, and means responsive to manual control for selectively operatingfa part of the simultaneously operating mechanismvfor raising either aileron at will while maintaining the other aileron against movement.

3. Mechanism for operating the ailerons of an airplane including an auxiliary beam connected to each aileron,bars connected to `said y auxiliary beam and manually operable means for simultaneously actuating the bars to move the ailerons similarly and together in either direction, main beams mounted on and operatively connected with the auxiliary beams and serving, when operated, to actate in Vone direction the single aileron to which they are connected while the means for operating the main beams includes an auxiliary operating plate mounted for pivotal movement and connected to the auxiliary beam, and a main operating plate connected to the auxiliary operating plate and responsive to manual movement, the main operating plate in movement in one direction actuating the auxiliary operating plate cooperating therewith and the connecting main beam, the movement of the main operating plate in the opposite direction holding its associated auxiliaryplate against operation.

5. A construction as deiined in claim 3 wherein the means for operating the main beams includes f an auxiliary operating plate connected with the main beam and pivotally supported on a x'ture relative to the wing, a main operating plate pivsupported'ona iixtre' relative-Fte ,the wing, and connected to themain' a main'operating plate pivotallyl connectedto'jthe auxiliary operating plate at a point remote iromthe pivot of the latter, manually operable means connected to the main operating plate, and a snide slot con trolling the movement 'of' the main operating plate, said slot including a section concentric with' the pivot between the main and auxiliary operating plates, and a section concentric with the pivot of the auxiliary operating plate.

7. A construction as dened in claim 6 including an auxiliary beam under-lying the main beam and pivotally supported at one end to e fixture relative to the wing, and an operating bar connected to the auxiliary beam at a point remote from its pivot. Y

8. Mechanismfor operating the ailerons of an airplane including mechanism responsive to manual operation for moving the ailerons together and simultaneously in either direction, and means connected to said mechanism and in part responsive to selective movement to operate either one of said ailerons in one direction, the said means under selective movement being eiecti've with respect to the movement of one aileron while :ment of the other of said plates. and a movement 'in the opposite direction will maintain the other o! said plates against movement.

EDWARD 

